Year 12 - 2024/25 - Support, Discussion and Looking After Each Other (Thread 2)

[BlackBean2023]

You’re a chatty lot… continue

Well done to your DS @gingercat02 lovely to get a nice surprise like that, hopefully it will encourage him.

Interestingly I was on one of the university comparison sites looking for other unis for DS to consider (Manchester has now been discarded for some reason) and in the list loads of them said 'in clearing for 2025' (not Oxbridge or St Andrews though) for his course but none of them said what grades. That Southampton one might now be on the list - 3Bs for his course!

Thanks @Waspie I asked him to speak to his Chemistry teacher today but he hasn't. Now that Oxford is off the list we don't have to worry about early applications so he can definitely try again but he does need to talk to them - trying to get him to do that though is like pulling teeth!

You are right about the GCSE grades, these will be taken in context of the school where he took them so don't worry about that. Well done to him to get a place at his new school, it's not easy being the newbie and still doing so well.

Oh my word I've just seen the Nottingham one too, BBC for DS's course! 😮 What's going on this year?

Thanks @JustHereWithMyPopcorn Plenty of time to add that star for Chemistry!

I read somewhere that Nottingham applications had taken a big hit following the murder of the two students and the other man. Perhaps they haven't recovered yet and they want to boost numbers?

@Waspie DD is worried about GCSE results despite having majority of 9s, based on the fact that the school is super selective GS. And with 3A*s still worried about chances of Imperial. ( Oxbridge is on the radar only slightly on the fact that she has to do ESAT anyway). I feel like they are under too much pressure, shouldn’t they be celebrating good outcomes rather than fussing about GCSE drama grades? Whatever I say is not convincing enough, and we kept coming back to this topic
I also read on another Physics ESAT test thread that GCSE is only 10 points worth, and grand scheme of things, it’s very less. Would like to know if anyone knows this for sure. That thread seriously suggests that Cam doesn’t care about GCSE.
BTW, is there any point in looking for WE for this summer anymore? Other than EDT, we don’t have anything, and she would like to attend something in person. No ides where to look, please let me know if anything

@Waspie Ah that happened at the end of DS1's first year, it was horrifying, DS had only just come home a couple of days before, but really could have happened anywhere, the man had mental health problems. Sad if that's what is putting people off.

I totally agree @Newlease they should be celebrating their successes and hard work rather than worrying whether they are good enough. There really is no let up to the pressure heaped on them. I hope your daughter (and my son) and everyone else's DC, realise that they did amazingly well.

I don't know about the value of GCSEs - I think it depends on university and course. At Bristol for Law GCSEs were worth 20%, and the rest was LNAT and A Levels.

This is way out of my knowledge area, but do the armed services offer work experience?

Oh!! Mech Engg in clearing too, with low grades. Saw a post about this on FB too, I guess I still really don’t understand how this works.
“Not that there’s a contractual requirement to accept an offer holder who misses their offer but gets those grades” - one of the comments, what does missed their offer, but get those grades means please? Could someone please explain

The offer may have been AAA for instance but the clearing grades are ABB say. they are asking if their DC gets ABB will they still get a place if this is what is being offered in clearing.

@Newlease I think they meant if an A level candidate misses their offer but makes the lower grades now showing as Clearing grades, the uni isn’t legally obliged to take them (because they missed the conditions of their offer). However it would be surprising if they were turned down in those circumstances.

Ah that makes sense. @JustHereWithMyPopcorn thanks for explaining that. DD kept on saying they can’t offer based on 4 Astar, as everyone don’t have that option in their school. But then on UCAS Impreial definitely say 4 Astarts if they do 4. Madness, trying to reassure her that she can still apply, but also don’t want to make decisions based on optimism and not on facts.
@Waspie , isn’t that right! I am trying to stay positive as much and hoping that help her too. Just hoping everyone gets to the point where they are all decided and applied. FB thread has lots of discussion about clearance after recent results.
We are still jumping around between two streams of Engg. @JessyCarr suggested Manchester and York also looks good @JustHereWithMyPopcorn. both we didn’t get a chance to go check, but will do in Autumn, once the other things have calm down. St Andrew’s we didn’t check at all.

Following putting UCL back on the table - I was told today that he is also thinking of trying for a scholarship at an Ivy League 😄. I think he may have ideas above his station. I think he will do fairly well in his a levels but he is not known for his work ethic or does anything extra or even shown a passion for a subject. At least he is starting to think about life after sixth form.

Well done to @gingercat02 and @JustHereWithMyPopcorn for your DCs PGs. Still waiting for them here.

Thank you, that does make sense. I will go back to read the thread again. Just had UCAS evening in school, they are very relaxed about it, asking us to leave kids to make decisions - and have min 10 uni on their list. Isn’t it a bit too late for that?

Well done on the PGs @JustHereWithMyPopcorn and @gingercat02 , it is good to know what you are working towards now.

@Newlease and @Waspie I completely agree about our YP not being able to be happy with results because just as they secure one set/ exam result the next one looms ahead with even more challenging requirements. DD did get extremely good GCSEs and has excellent PG but because she has chosen med, it all rests on UCAT, which is horrific, so she could achieve any level at all, it is impossible to predict. So now all she is focused on is this and her previous achievements seem irrelevant somehow (I know they are not and make up part of her whole application).

Anyway, on a positive note, DD is on the last day of her work experience today and has loved it! She has seen lots of wards/depts and met a lot of doctors of varying experience to chat to. She even got to go to a theatre case yesterday where the female surgeon was really encouraging and explained everything she did. Of course now DD wants to be a surgeon 😂, good to have aspirations I suppose!

Is anyone still going to open days or have they slowed down now? I have my first weekend off which I am looking forward to.

DS and DH left early to go to Cambridge today. This is the last of our Open days for the time being. DS is still down about his GCSE's. We worked out last night that his secondary school's cGCSE score was between 46-50 (out of potential 64) using the Cambridge information online. DS' is 62! I thought this might help but he seems keen to wallow in self pity. It's not helped that his GF went away for 6 weeks earlier in the week and he twisted his back playing tennis. All have contributed to his poor mood. He did get up at 6am to go to Cambridge so he can't have given up the idea of applying entirely.

Wonderful that your daughter has enjoyed her work experience @bluefineliner and has set her sights high but achievable for her. She has chosen a tough career course but one that she will ultimately find extremely rewarding I'm sure.

@AuntyBulgaria my nephew (also year 12) is hoping to go to the US for "college". He is talking to universities, taking test SAT papers and doing online interviews. The financial assistance available is very good. Harvard have recently increased their top level for assistance family income to $200,000. there is of course the Trump issue of student VISAs being blocked or withdrawn but, hopefully, that will resolve itself before next year. There are lots of resources online if your son wants to explore further?

Ten universities seems a lot @Newlease the UCAS maximum is five courses. Oxbridge and medicine are early entry in October and the others are January for last application.

How was LSE @Muchtoomuchtodo ?

@Waspie ds was quite taken with LSE as was I. As it’s a small university it has quite a nice campus feel despite being in the middle of London. The only downside is that most of the halls are a fair way from the campus and cost a fortune (even just for 36 week contracts)! Then in their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years it’s likely that they’d all be very spread apart in private accommodation.

Some LSE halls are right beside UCL. I have no idea where their halls are as DS doesn’t want to sit the STEP admissions test so that’s off the cards.

It’s put into perspective that some of the Oxford colleges that he thought were too far from his dept are a similar distance away as LSE halls are from their campus.

He’s ruled Exeter out which means that LSE, Oxford, Bath and possibly Bristol are still in the running. I worry that they all have very high and very similar entry requirements but that doesn’t seem to be a concern for DS! I guess getting his AS results will help to know how realistic he’s being.

Glad that he liked LSE @Muchtoomuchtodo, I was going to ask how he’d found their open day as DS decided he couldn’t fit it in. The area round UCL is lovely, I’ve spent a lot of time there.

DS was up and out at the crack of dawn to head to Cambridge, he’s with a friend and their parents so will see what he makes of it! I suspect it’ll be a no but we shall see, a nice day out in the sunshine at worst!

@Newlease and @Waspie I can relate to the possible overthinking of GCSE results relative to school - DS is at a super selective state and although he performed very well at GCSE, he’s maybe about halfway down the results ranking compared to his sixth form peer group (the sixth form doubles in size from y11 and the kids joining generally have pretty stellar results). But he’s stronger in his A level subjects (and is now working harder!). He’s ruled out Oxford for partly that reason.

sorry I am not entirely sure of TUMA, but I started scrolling through TSR and found ppl there really helpful for subject specific tests

Hope everyone going to Cambridge has a great day. I’d be interested to hear comparisons with Oxford from those who are visiting both.

If GCSEs are good, and they’re keen on Oxbridge I think I’d still be encouraging them to go for it. I’m not sure how many GCSEs they take into account. At Bristol it’s only the best 8. Sit the entry test and see if that’s good enough to get an interview. Oxford maths dept impressed upon us that they want the best candidates to get places on their courses. With the UCAS application, MAT and interviews they have a pretty robust process to make sure that happens. If they’re the best fit then they’re likely to get offered a place even if they didn’t get all tops grades in their GCSEs.

Thanks @Muchtoomuchtodo. DS does like the look of the LSE History course but the acceptance rates are far lower than Oxbridge, Durham and St Andrews, plus the expense of accommodation and the other complexities of a London university makes it less attractive (IMO).

Your son's choices are amazing and I agree with you that he needs at least one which he's very likely to get an offer from amongst the five. DS' will be Exeter. He really liked it there and the grades are AAB which should be achievable.

@MiniMidiMaxi I hope your son enjoys his day in Cambridge. Is he looking at any particular colleges? DS has a few he would like to see and also wants to attend the subject and admission talks - although the webinars they've been running have been very helpful about this.

The talk DS had at school yesterday from the Cambridge admissions person suggested that C take as much notice of GCSEs as Oxford. This is different to what I've read in threads on the Higher Education board on MN. It's another reason DS wants to go to the admissions talk.

@WaspieDD said the same to me when I said C would not look for GCSE’s. School said strongly about believing everything you read, that’s another way. And I would think it also may be subject specific. @Muchtoomuchtodo good to know that it’s how you all think too, I felt like we are wasting a chance if we don’t apply, especially when you are already doing the same entrance test. HoSixthForm actually laughed at me about the 6in Drama, saying no one cares. But I didn’t mention Imperial or Cam, so not sure.
Hope everyone who are going have a fab day at Cambridge, would love to hear the reactions :) DD had a residential over Easter,nothing to do with the subject she wanted to do,but got a real chance to stay in one of their rooms( had mini fridge, that was her highlight) yet she doesn’t want to visit today! . I don’t know her reason for this. Only two of her friends went though, she is expecting one of her friends to share all the news 😃

@Waspie I have no idea what colleges he is planning to look at, I feel like I’ve barely seen him in the last couple of weeks with all the end of term stuff going on, they were going to make a plan in the car on the way! Though I had a look to see where he was on his phone tracker earlier and it looked like he was in Newnham college - as it’s a women’s college I’m not sure that’s going to be helpful for him! Looks like the subject talks are all in the afternoon.

Would be good to compare notes later!

That's great @gingercat02 . DD1 took biology A level and found it really hard. I was so proud of the C she got because she'd had to work so hard for it. She's thriving now, she's done two years of her degree and is currently loving her placement year working in an industry job. 🙂

Well after all the open days, DS still isn’t sure what degree course he wants to do - debate is between maths/stats/economics courses vs engineering. A bit frustrating but I have complete sympathy - it’s a big decision with long term consequences, but he’s still trying to follow the pre-set UCAS timetable for decisions. He’s really reluctant to consider a year out. If he rules out Cambridge then he can take a bit longer to work it through in the autumn. He did really like Cambridge yesterday though! (but both courses!!).

Not too sure how I can help at this point. Wondering about trying to set him up with 1-1 chats with people we know in both sectors (mostly engineering) to talk about their jobs.

Back from DD's week at UCL - she's totally fallen in love with London. Had a great time on the course - we stayed in Marylebone & I think she has unrealistic ideas of being a smart young thing sashaying around Bloomsbury & Westminister for 3 years!
Really should have taken her out to zone 7 for a more realistic idea of student accoms.
London would be hard financially, but she really liked UCL.
Lets see.
Glad to hear all your DC plans starting to crystalise - long hot summer ahead it seems.